After we had travailed a great way, along the Lake of Genasareth, which is of length eight leagues, and large foure: where I saw the decayed Townes of Bethsaida, and Tyberias, lying on the North-side of the same Sea, we left the Marine, and came to Cana, to stay all night: in which wee had no Canes to save us from the Arabs, nor coverture above our heads, but the hard ground to lye on, which was alwayes my Bed, in the most parts of Asia: In the night, when we slept, the Souldiers kept Centinell, and in the day, when we Reposed, they slept, and we watched.
Cana in Galilee.This Cana was the towne wherein our Saviour wrought the first Miracle, converting at the Marriage, Water into Wine: And is now called by the Turkes Callieros or Calinos, being a towne composed of two hundred fire Houses: The inhabitants beeing partly Arabs, partly Jewes, and partly some Christian Georgians: the circumjacent fieldes, beeing both Fertile, Delectable, and plaine.
The day following, imbracing our way, wee passed over a little pleasant Mountayne, where the Armenian Patriarke (for so was there one with them) went into an old Chappell, and all the rest of the Pilgrimes thronged about him, using many strange Ceremonies, for it was in that place (as they sayd) Where Christ fed five thousand people, with five Barley loaves, and two fishes. And indeede was very likely to have beene the place: the auncient Chappell, showing as yet some beautiful decorements, do dignifie both the Monument, and the Memory of the Founder thereof.
Continuing our journey, wee saw Mount Tabor on our [V. 217.]left hand, which is a pretty round Mountaine, beset about with comely trees: I would gladly have seene the Monument of that place, where the Transfiguration of Christ was: But the Caravan, mindfull to visite Nazareth, left the great way of Jerusalem, and would by no perswasion go thither.
That night we lodged in a poore Village, called Heerschek, where we could get neither meate for our selves, nor provender for the Beasts, but some of our Company for their supper, had a hundred stroakes from the Moores and Arabs in that place, because the Christian Pilgrimes had troden upon the graves of their dead friends, which by no meanes they can tollerate: They made no small uproare amongst us, desperately throwing stones and darts, till we were all glad to remove halfe a mile from that place; and the next morning we passed by Cæsarea Philippi.Cæsarea Philippi which is now so miserably decayed, that the ruined Towne affordeth not above twenty foure dwelling houses, being for ruines, a second Towne, to sacked Samaria, or another spectacle of time like to the now ragged Towne of the Moorish Bethulia: It was built by Philip one of the Tetrarchs in honour of Tiberius Cæsar, and now called by the Moores Hedarasco. Here was Herod smitten by the Angels, and eaten of wormes, after the Sycophanticall people called his Rethoricall oration, the voyce of God, and not of man: Here our Saviour healed the woman of the bloody fluxe, and raised from death to life the daughter of Jairus: Here S. Peter baptized Cornelius, and S. Paul disputed against Tertullius in the presence of Felix.
Aprill the 20. day, about ten of the clocke, (passing the River Kyson) we arrived at Nazareth, and there reposed till the evening, providing our selves of victuals [V. 218.]and water: In this Towne dwelt Joseph, and the Virgin Mary; and in which also our Saviour was brought up under the vigilant care of Joseph and Mary. After wee had dined, the Armenians arose, and went to a heape of stones, the ruines of an old house, before the which they fell downe upon their knees; praysing God: And that ruinous lumpe (say they) was the house where Mary dwelt, when Gabriel saluted her, bringing the Annunciation of Salvation to the World: I am fully perswaded, they carried away above five thousand pounds weight, to keepe in a A counter buffet for Loretta.memoriall thereof: then did I remember of the Chappell of Loretta, and told the Caravan, that I saw that house standing in Italy, which (as the Romanists say) was transported by the Angels: O, said he, we Armenians cannot beleeve that, neither many other assertions of the Roman Church; for we certainely know by Christians, that have from time to time dwelt here ever since, that this is both the place, and stones of the house: Let Papists coyne a new Law to themselves, we care not, for as they erre in this, so doe they erre in all, following meerely the traditions of men, they runne galloping post to Hell. The Patriarke being informed by the laughing Caravan of these newes, asked me in disdaine (thinking it had beene an Article of my beliefe) if I saw that house, or beleeved that the Chappell of Loretta was such a thing: to whom I constantly answered, I did not beleeve it, affirming it was onely but a divellish invention, to deceive the blind-folded people, and to fill the Coffers of the Romane Priests: Now thou bottomlesse Gulfe of Papistry, here I forsake thee, no Winter-blasting Furies of Satans subtile stormes, can make ship-wracke of my Faith, on the stony shelfes of thy deceitfull deepes.
Thus, and after this manner too: are all the illusions [V. 219.]of their imaginary and false miracles, first invented partly by monasteriall poverty, then confirmed by provincial bribery, and lastly they are faith-sold for consistoricall lucre. In the time of our staying here, the Emeere or Lord of the Towne sent sixe women, conducted by 12. of his servants, to an Armenian Prince, that was a Pilgrime in our company; to be used by him and others, Libidinous leachery.whom so he would elect to be his fellow labourers: Which indeed he did kindly accept, & invited me to that feast: but I gave him the refusall, little regarding such a frivolous commodity. He, and some of the chiefest Pilgrimes entertained them for the space of 3. houres, and sent them backe, giving to their conductors fifteene Piasters, in a reward. Truely if I would rehearse the impudency of these Whoores, and the bruitishnesse of the Armenians, as it is most ignominious to the actors; so no doubt, it would be very loathsome to the Reader.
Such is the villanie of these Orientall slaves under the Turkes; that not onely by conversing with them, learne some of their damnable Hethnicke customes, but also going beyond them in beastly sensualnesse, become worse then bruite beasts: This maketh me remember a worthy saying of that Heathnish Romane Emperour Marcus Aurelius, who in consideration of fleshly lusts, said; that although he were sure, that the Gods would not punish him for the offence; yet he would forbeare it, in regard of the filthinesse of the fact it selfe: Indeed of a Pagane a noble and vertuous resolution, when such base and beastly Christianes, these wretched Armenians, committed with these Infidelish harlots a twofold kind of voluptuous abhomination, which my conscience commands me to conceale: least I frequent this Northern world, with that which their nature never knew, nor their knowledge have [V. 220.]heard hearing of the like: but God in his just judgements, that same night, threatned both to have punished the doers, and the whole company for their sakes: For we having resolved to travell all that night, and because the way was rocky, and hard to be knowne, and perillous for Arabs; we hired a Christian guide, named Joab, and agreed with him to take us to Lidda, which was two dayes journey. But before we advanced to our passage, Joab had sent a privie messenger before us, to warne about three hundred Arabs (who had their abode on the South side A villanous plot.of Mount Carmell) to meete him at such a place as he had appointed; giving them to know, wee were rich and well provided with Chickens and Sultans of gold, and Piasters of silver; and that he should render us into their hands for such a recompense and consideration, as their savage judgements should thinke fit; according to the spoyles and booties they should obtaine, together with the miserable murder and losse of our lives. This being done, and unknowne to us, we marched along, travelling faster then our ordinary pace, some on horse, and some on foote, for my pilgrimage was ever pedestriall: which our guide suspecting, that by our celerity wee should goe beyond the place appointed for his treacherous plot, began to crosse us grievously; leading us up and downe amongst pooles and holes, whither he listed; where many of our Camels & Asses were lost, and could not be recovered, because we all began to suspect and feare; which was the cause that the owners durst not stay to relieve their perishing beasts.
In the end, the Captaine and Janisaries, intreated him earnestly to bring us in the right way; but the more they requested, the more obdurat was his heart, replying, he was mistaken, and could not finde it, till day light: upon [V. 221.]the which words, the company was stayed, and in the meanewhile there came a Turke, one of our Souldiers unto the Captaine, saying; he saw the guide, before our A treacherous guide.departure from Nazareth, send a Moore before him, for what respect he knew not, being long at privat conference. Whereupon, they straight bound him with ropes, on a horse backe, threatning him with death, to cause him confesse the trueth.
In the midst of this tumult, I having got sight of the North-starre, (which seemd exceeding low to me) considered thereby, that the villaine had led us more to the Southward, then to the Westward, which was our way to Jerusalem: Whereupon I intreated the Caravan to turne our faces Northward, otherwise we should be cut off, and that suddenly: for although (said I) it may peradventure be, that we are three or foure miles short of the place intended for our massacre, yet they missing us, will like ravening Wolves hunt here and there; wherefore, if we incline to the North, (God willing) we shall prevent their bloody designes. To the which advice (being duely pondered) they yeelded; and so I became their guide, in that darke night, till morning: for none of them knew that Starre, neither the nature of it. At last this desperate wretch considering that either by our vanquishing, or the enemies victory, he could not escape, sith his treason was revealed; began to beg pardon of the Caravan, saying that if he could have any surety of his life, he would sufficiently informe us, how to eschew these eminent dangers, for we were all in extreame perill of our lives; and not so much courage nor comfort left us, as the very smallest hope of any reliefe.